Dev.to
6/28/2026

AI Agent Scratchpad: Keep Coding Agents Fast Without Polluting Git
Short summary
AI coding agents scatter temporary files—scripts, logs, API dumps, notes—across production repos, making reviews noisy and confusing. This guide proposes a local scratchpad pattern: a `temp/` directory ignored by git (via `.git/info/exclude`) but visible to humans and agents. Structure it by purpose and document in your agent guidance so agents adopt the pattern without polluting the main source tree.
- •AI agents create scattered temporary artifacts (scripts, logs, API responses, drafts) that clutter git status and confuse code reviews
- •Use a local `.git/info/exclude` scratchpad to keep temp work visible in your editor but ignored by git without affecting teammates
- •Structure the scratchpad by purpose and document it in your agent guidance so agents adopt the pattern automatically
Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.
Is this a good recommendation for you?

